Crime Fiction in Academic Settings: A Brief History of Academic Mysteries, Campus Thrillers, and Research Noir

Anybody is susceptible to cracking under pressure and what other place is there which would be a perfect setting for a crime to take place than academia? Sure, other settings would be possible but there is a certain kind of thrill and curiosity when such things occur inside schools and campuses.

A history of the academic mystery mirrors the rise and fall of academia itself, and particularly, women’s place within academia. The more women who have become academics, the lower the status of their profession and the size of their salaries.
Early academic mysteries are concerned with fighting for a place for women within academia, and more broadly, for women’s right to live as intellectuals. Academic mysteries from the 70s and 80s often featured female professors at the top of their game, with jobs that were a clear result of hard work and education, yet with plenty of jealous and old-fashioned colleagues waiting for the slightest misstep to swoop and say “I told you so.”

In this list, Molly Odintz sums up several great reads for academic mysteries and research noir. If you are ever interested in finding a good book about mysteries or thrillers set in academia, you can check out the list for some recommendations.

(Image credit: Sidharth Bhatia/Unsplash)


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